Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-09

manufacturer. This reference Il
the operation Of our tariff laws i
not made by way of instruction
but in order that we may be con
stantly reminded Of the name
in which .hey impose burdel
upon those who consume domestic
products ~ well as those who con
sumo imported articles, ami thu
create q tax upon all our people
INCIDENTAL PROTECTION.
tits not proposed to entirely re
lieve the country Of this taxation
II must be extensively continued
AZ the source Of the government,
income; and IN a readjustment o.
our tariff the interests of American
labor engaged IN manufacture
should be carefully considered, as
well ~ the preservation Of oul
manufactures. It may be called
protection, or by any other name
bnt relief from the hardships and
dangers of our present tariff laws
should be devised with especial
prccautiOn against imperiling tho
existence of our manufacturing IN
terests. But this existence shOuld
not mean n condition which. with
out regard to the public welfare or
n national exigency, must always
insure the realization of immense
profits instead Of moderately profit
able returns. As the volume and
diversity of our national activities
increase, new recruits are added Ia
those who desire a continuation OF
the advantages which they con
ceive the present system OF tariff
taxation directly affords them. So
slubbornly have all efforts to re.
form the present condition been
resisted by those of our fellow citi-
zens thus engaged. that they can
hardly complain of the suspicion,
entertained to a certain extent,
that there exists an organized com
bnatiOn all along the line to main.
tain their advantage.
We are III the midst Ofcentennlal
celebrations, and with becoming
pride We rejoice in American skill
and ingenuity, in American energy
and enterprise, and in the wonder
ful natural advantages and resOur-
ces developed by a century's ma
tional growth. Yet when an at
tempt is made to justify a scheme
which permits tax to be LAID upon
every consumer in the land for the
benefit OF our manufacturers, quite
beyond reasonable demand for
governmental regard, it suits the
purposes of advocacy to call our
manufactures infant industries,
still needing the highest and great
est degree Of favor and fostering
care that can be wrung from fed.
eral legislation.
1t Is also said that the increase
IN the price of domestic manuiac.
lures resulting from the present
tariff is necessary IN order that
higher wages may be paid to our
workingmen employed in manu-.
factories than are paid for what is
called the pauper labor Of Europe.
All will acknowledge the force Of
an argument which involves the
welfare and liberal compensation
Of our labOring people. Our labor
is honorable in the eyes of every
American citizen and as it lies at
the foundation of our development
and progress, it is entitled, without
affection or hypocricy, to the ut
most regard. The standard of our
laborer's life should not be meas.
ured by that of any other country
less favored, and they are entitled
to their full share of all our ad-
vantages.
STRIKING A BALANCE.
BY the last cencus It is made to
appear that of the 7,392, 099 of
our population engaged in all kinds
of industries, 7,G70,l 1893 are employ.
ed in agriculture, 4,07i, 23S in
professional and personal service,
l2,93l, $40 of whom are domestic
servants and labOrers,) while L.
Sl0,25G are employed in trade and
transportation, and 3,S3S,112 are
as employed in mannfac-
turing and mining.
For present purposes, however,
the last number gwen should be
considerably reduced. Without az.
tempting to enumerate all, it will
be conceded that there should be
deducted from those which it in
cludes $40, lib carpenters and join
ers, 2Sj, 4Ol milliners. dressmakers,
and seamstresses, 172, 726 black
smiths, 1873, 756 taiIOrs and tailor.
esses, 102, 473 masons, 1924 butch
ers, il,309 bankers, 22,0S3 plas-
ters, and 1891 engaged in manu-
featuring agricultural implements,
amounting in the aggregate to L.
2ll,023, leaving 2,G23,0S9 persons
in such manufacturing
Industries as are claimed to be
benefited by high tariff.
TO these the appeal is made to
save their employment and main.
ain their wages by resisting a
charge. There should be no dis /
position to answer such sugges-
ions by the allegation that they /
ire in a minority among those who |
abor, and, therefore, should forego |
IN advantage in the interests of low !
prices for the majority; their com.
as it may be effected by
he operation of tariff laws, should
1t all times be scrupulously kept
n view and yet, with slight re-
lection, they will not overlook the
act that they are consumers with
he rest That they, too, have their
,wn wants and thOse of their fam
lies to supply from their earnings,
md that the price of the neces-
aries of life, as well as the amount
# their wages, will regulate the
measure of their welfare and com
Ort.
But the reduction of taxation
demanded should be so measured !
$ not to necessltate or Justify |
ther the loss OF employment by
he working man nor the lessening
f his wages; and the profits still
to the manufacturer,
ftpr a necessary rpa1ingtmqnf